


Lessons in Lying

by HancockBlocked



Series: We Are All Demons [2]
Category: Fallout 4
Genre: Awkward Romance, Crushes, Developing Friendships, Dialogue Heavy, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Flirting, Practice Kissing, Sexual Tension, Spies & Secret Agents, Undercover as a Couple
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-26
Updated: 2018-03-06
Packaged: 2019-03-06 10:27:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,407
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13409310
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HancockBlocked/pseuds/HancockBlocked
Summary: Deacon has to show Charmer the ropes of being in the Railroad. What better way to do so then an undercover mission where they pose as newlyweds?





	1. Lesson One: Intro to Kissing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This short story is a prequel for my other story We Are All Demons and explores how Ella and Deacon became BFFs. You don't have to read my other story to get this one, nor do you have to read this to understand future chapters in the other story...it's really just a stand alone thing I did for funsies.

"Mmm! Why are these so fucking good?!" Charmer popped another snack cake into her mouth and groaned at the heavenly flavor. Even 200 years after the expiration date, Fancy Lads were still as delicious as she remembered. 

Deacon added another bite-sized confection to his mouth, nodding in agreement. "Chocolate and cake. There isn't a better combination in the world." He swallowed. "...Plus, there only like 3000 calories a box." 

"That's practically nothing!" 

"Right?" They both chuckled and clinked soda bottles, looking over the view they had from the top of the church roof.

It was funny; the two had only met a few weeks prior but already they were close. Well...as close as spies could be.

And it wasn't just a coincidence either, Charmer had a certain theory about best friends. It was like they were soulmates...and not in the cheesy, romantic kind of way but in a way that you could never feel complete until you meet them. They just make your life better in every way. It was like God, or whatever other higher being, purposely matched you to that person so they could be there for you when life got impossible. It's like how peanut butter alone is decent but once you add jelly, it becomes the most iconic sandwich ever. That's how she thought of Deacon, he was her peanut butter. Her funny, lying, sometimes too-much-of-a-neat-freak peanut butter. 

She wiped her sugar-coated fingers onto her pants and sat back with her elbows on the gravel. As fun as it was to spend the day with piles of comic books and junk food, they still had work to do that took priority. "So...Desdemona wants us to do a favor for someone?" 

"Yup." Deacon nodded. "Old Man Stockton, he's a trader over at Bunker Hill. We owe him a lot for the help he's given us over the years."

"Is he one of us?" 

"Not formally. He handles synths fresh from the Institute, keeps 'em hidden until we can find a safe place to relocate them." 

"Got it. And what does he need from us?" 

"His daughter is missing. Amelia, I think. She's a nice enough kid, just too trusting. Can't really say I'm surprised she was kidnapped."

That word triggered Charmer's mind to wonder about Shaun. Multiple questions popped into her brain, like, how long had he been gone? Was he even still alive? Would he even need her anymore? What was the fucking point?

"How do you know she was kidnapped?" She snapped out of it. 

Deacon shrugged. "Easy. She loves her dad too much to run away and given his connections with every trader in the damn 'wealth, she'd be the perfect leverage for caps, weapons, land, practically anything." 

"So, where do we start?" 

"Stockton hired some mercenary who tracked her down to a private settlement up north but they won't talk. So...we go in there, make some friends, get some gossip, find out what's going on."

Charmer's face lit up. "Wait, so I get to go undercover with you? Finally! I'm so sick of sitting around all day." 

"Don't get too excited, undercover ops are the most risky of them all. Lotta shit can go wrong...that's why we've got to properly prepare." He smiled coyly. 

"How do we do that?" 

"We need a cover, something simple; something believable. Family is the easiest...hey, how about we pose as twins? Fraternal, of course."

Charmer snickered at the thought. "I don't know how to tell you this but you're like twice my age. How about we act as father and daughter?"

He gasped dramatically. "Excuse me? No. No fucking way. I am not some forty year old man with a twenty year old kid following them around the wastes like a trained dog. That's _wayyy_ too boring...you feel free to call me daddy though." He smirked. 

"Fine, princess. What if we're dating?"

Deacon got up from his spot and stretched indifferently. "Nah. Too messy. If we're dating that means we can break up, it would be too easy for others to get involved and trust me, with a face like mine, people will get involved."

She followed suit and stood up, dusting her jeans of powdered sugar. "You know you're an idiot, right?" 

"What? I can't help it. Men and women fall hard for this mug, it's a curse is what it is!"

"Whatever." She snickered. "Okay, what if we're married?" 

"Ooh, I like it! We could be newlyweds, all lovey-dovey and unsuspecting? It's perfect!" 

"Um, ew? Can't we just be an old married couple that argues all the time?" 

"Too easy, babe." He chided. "Newlyweds are perfect." 

"And who put you in charge?" 

"Dez did, so I say what goes. Besides I've done this, like, a million times. I'm a connoisseur of lies, really."

She followed him down the stairs to the church lobby and playfully bantered. "Yeah? Have you ever lied to me?"

"Never."

"Was that a lie?" She smirked.

"Barely."

 *

They walked toward the settlement dressed in casual clothes and limited weapons, looking as innocent as ever. Charmer always hated the way she looked in dresses...it made people underestimate her or mistake her for a proper young lady when really she was as crass and mouthy as a sailor. But, it was always fun to see their reactions when she dropped an f-bomb in a lilac evening gown.

Deacon, however, looked damn-near dashing in a flannel and jeans. He even skipped shaving for a day or two, giving himself the perfect amount of stubble that made him look unsuspecting. He was almost...hot.

Almost. 

"Alright, boss, it's time for lesson numero uno: backstory. A good backstory can save your ass; if it's convincing enough it'll help ease people into trusting you." 

"We're just pretending to be married, isn't that enough?" She carried her heels in her hand to spare her feet of the stabbing pain. 

"Yeah, it isn't that simple." He chuckled arrogantly. 

"Sure it is. We hold hands, call each other some cute pet name and voilà! We're in." 

He stopped walking to get her full attention. "What about the how, when, and why of it all? Where did we meet? Was it love at first sight? Did we go all the way? The people want to know these things, Charmie!"

"Ugh." She rolled her eyes. "Fine. We got married yesterday, we met on a farm, and it was love at first sight but we didn't have sex...and we aren't going to, just to be clear."

"Yeah, I'm not an idiot. Dez has strict rules about that kind of thing." He kept walking. "Alright, I guess that's good enough. Let's talk names."

"Names?"

"We can't use code names in the field, it's too suspicious."

"...so is wearing sunglasses indoors." 

"Hey, don't mock the glasses. These babys saved my life on more than two occasions."

"So...three occasions?" 

"Almost four." He boasted. 

"Whatever." She pushed his shoulder with hers. "So, any name is okay?"

"Yup."

"How about Barbara? That was my grandmother's name."

He didn't even falter. "No. Pick something else."

"You _just_ said any name is fine." 

"Not that, it's too...gregarious." 

"What does that even mean?" She scoffed. 

"Just pick another name." 

"Fine. Jane?" It was her sister's name.

Deacon nodded inconspicuously. "Hmm...simple, normal. I like it. I'll be Charlie, it's just as bland."  

They walked another mile or so carrying on idle chatter before seeing Covenant come into view. As they got closer they heard the familiar whirring of automated guns moving from side to side. They held hands as they walked closer, seeing a man in a leather jacket leaning against the brick wall by the entrance.

"Follow my lead." Deacon whispered. 

They walked up to the man, politely greeting him with a meek wave. "Hello! Nice day, huh?" Deacon chimed.

“Hey there, friends, visiting Covenant? If not, move along. We don't give handouts to nobody.” 

"We're actually looking to become residents...Janie and I just got married. Isn't that right, babe?" 

Charmer nodded sweetly. 

"Congrats then. But we don't let just anyone move on in, there's a test you have to take." 

"A test? What for?" Her 'husband' asked. 

"Just a personality test, really. C'mon, it's easy! There ain't no wrong answers."

Deacon inwardly sighed and looked down at Charmer. "Go ahead, Janie. I think I'll have a smoke, then I'll take the test after you." 

She knew what he was doing. He was going to sneak inside the man's desk while he was occupied. Smart, only it put her in the position to be scrutinized. 

"Right this way, darling." He gestured to two open seats. She had him sit with his back facing Deacon while they talked. "Okay, first question. You are approached by a frenzied scientist who yells ‘I’m going to put my quantum harmonizer in your photonic resonation chamber.’ What is your response?”

She raised her brow in confusion. What the hell kind of question was that? "Uhh...up yours too, buddy." 

He nodded and wrote notes down. "While working as an intern in a clinic, a patient with a strange infection on his foot stumbles through the door. The infection is spreading at an alarming rate but the doctor has stepped out for a while. What do you do?” 

"Medicate the area as best as I could." 

“Very interesting. Next question: you discover a boy lost in a cave, he’s hungry and frightened but also appears to be in possession of stolen property. What do you do?”

"Give him a hug and tell him everything will be okay." 

More scribbles. "Congratulations! You made it on the baseball team. Which position do you prefer?”

_Eww, sports._

She couldn't even pretend to tolerate them. “Can't I just eat hot dogs in the stands?" She joked. 

The man looked up from his papers with an odd stare. "Nevermind, next question. Your grandmother invites you to tea, but you’re surprised when she gives you a pistol and orders you to kill someone. What do you do?”

"I wouldn't do it." She shrugged.  

“And that’s all you’d do? Nothing else? Wait, don't answer that." He continued. "Oh no. You’ve been exposed to radiation and a mutated hand has grown out of your stomach. What’s the best course of treatment?”

"Pray to God that I'd be okay, I guess." 

“Hmm. You’re almost done. Last question, you decide it would be fun to play a prank on your father. You enter his private restroom when no one is looking and...?”

"Put plastic wrap over the toilet! I actually did that once." She chuckled. 

The man stood up and set his notes down. “The test is over. No one answered quite like you before but you passed, I’ll open up the gate then quiz your husband." 

"Great, thank you." 

"Sure. Just talk to Penny over at the local market, she'll get you some essentials on the house." 

The doors swung open as she strolled in, taking in the sight of the small town. It was quaint, almost pre-war looking. Everyone looked so nice...too nice, actually. They all had wide smiles and welcoming eyes that screamed 'help me' and 'get out while you can'...

"Welcome!" A voice caught her attention. "It's so good to see new faces in Covenant! I'm Jacob, Jacob Orden. You can consider me the mayor of this little slice of heaven." 

Ugh. Way too friendly, this one. Charmer smiled playfully and shook his hand with as much enthusiasm. "Hello, sir! I'm Jane, me and my husband are moving in, we just got married, ya know." 

"Well, we'll have to celebrate! It's not everyday that we see young love in times like these." 

_Ah, shit..._

"Oh, no...Charlie and I wouldn't want to be a bother." 

"Nonsense! It's the last we could do for our newest residents." He looked over her shoulder and grinned. "This must be your husband!" He met Deacon halfway to shake his hand. "I was just chatting with your lovely wife. We're always happy to see new faces here in Covenant!" 

"Likewise, sir." Deacon...or Charlie...smiled politely. "We had quite the trip out here, I think Janie and I are going to turn in early if you don't mind." 

"No, no! You can't get off that easy." He chuckled heartily. "We need to celebrate your marriage! Penny just got in this yao guai meat that's to die for and you must try some of Deezer's lemonade!" 

"Gee, it's been a long day..." Charmer tried to stall. 

"Oh, we won't keep you too long. You two must be excited for your first night together, am I right?" He winked. 

_Gross._

"How about you set your things down in our guest house and join us back out here in a few minutes, we can have a nice barbecue and you can meet the other residents." Jacob persisted. 

Deacon's jaw tightened, it was hard to tell through the glasses but Charmer just knew he was giving her the _'holy fuck, two minutes here and you've already drawn a shit ton of attention to us'_ look. "Sounds nice. We'll just go wash up." He smiled through his undetectable irritation. 

Jacob pointed them towards the guest home as enthusiastically as an evangelist. There was a single bed, a dresser, and a lamp that looked brand new. It was so weird to see such a homey place in the middle of the wastes...Desdemona was right to be skeptical of this settlement...

The door shut, allowing Deacon to let out a frazzled breath. "Kiss me."

Charmer narrowed her eyes. "Excuse you?" 

"We have to look like a real couple now that we have to go to a party. How much you wanna bet someone will ask us to kiss during a toast? Cause I'd bet a million caps, maybe my left arm too." 

"That's ridiculous...there is no way that's happening. And what about Desdemona's rules?" 

"Rules are bullshit on a mission. She would clear us to murder a tiny village of adorable baby puppies if it meant getting the job done." He crossed his arms smugly. "Plus, you were the one that got us into this mess, now we have to do more than just act." 

She sighed and mirrored his stance. "Fine. Just do it." 

He nodded and moved closer to press his lips to hers, immediately raising his brow at how her lips were tightened. He pulled away from her with a huff. "What was that? Who taught you to kiss?"

"Your mother." 

"Always classy, you are. Now be serious, we need to sell this newlywed cover." 

"It's just a kiss, who cares?"

"It's important! A good kiss is like a dance, it takes effort and skill. If we go out there and kiss like strangers, they'll know something isn't right." 

"Well...I'm not big into kissing. Can't we just, I don't know, kiss on the cheek?" 

"You were married for crying out loud, Charm, don't act like a prude now." 

"I'm not a prude!" She scoffed. "And for your information...my husband wasn't into...kissing." She sighed. 

Deacon's brows jumped up again, following a cocky grin. "Pardon moi?" 

"Knock it off, dickhead. He just didn't like germs. So we rarely kissed...with closed mouths...after brushing our teeth three times." 

"Sounds like a real player." 

She glared at him. "Just shut up and teach me."

"Alright just...relax your lips. Keep the tension in your jaw." He leaned in again, slowly moving his mouth in time with hers. She tried to move in time with him, forcing Deacon to hold her chin still while he made all of the movements. Charmer felt her shoulders loosen us as she melted against him, she hated to admit it but...he was really fucking good at this. Somehow kissing him felt so...familiar, like they had done it a million times.

Just as she tried to pull back, Deacon maneuvered his tongue in her mouth, letting it tangle against hers while his hands moved lower to cup her bottom. Charmer felt her eyes almost pop out of her skull when she felt the intrusion, but her body certainly wasn't complaining...in fact, she enjoyed it.

The door suddenly pushed open and a woman came in, seeing them and stopping in her tracks. "Oh!" She gasped. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt!"

Deacon smiled and wrapped his arm around Charmer's waist, moving her closer so he could plant a kiss on top of her head.

Oh...

He must've heard her footsteps and deepened the kiss to make it seem more real. Was it genius? Yep. Did it sting a little? More than she cared to admit. 

"I'm Penny, Penny Fitzgerald, I run the shop. I just wanted to bring you a little welcome present before everyone bombards you out there." She smiled and handed them a basket full of sliced melons. "Gosh, you two are just adorable! See ya outside!" She walked out. 

Deacon let go of her like nothing happened and pushed up his glasses with his fingers, a coy smirk pulling at his lips. 

"Alright, Jane. It's showtime." 


	2. Lesson Two: Boner 101

It was more than a little barbecue...it was full on party with every person in town congregated in the center with all too friendly faces.

Deacon and Charmer walked onto the porch of the guest house, taking in the sight of all the locals at once. She couldn't tell through his relaxed and carefree demeanor but she was 99% positive that Deacon was beyond annoyed. Thanks to her, instead of laying low and playing the nice and cutesy newlyweds, they were now the talk of the town. 

 _'Oops'_ didn't even cut it...this was a major fuck up on her part. 

"There's the happy couple!" Jacob beamed. "Jane and Charlie, our newest residents!" 

Everyone clapped as if they were animals in a circus before falling silent, waiting for their next trick. Deacon smiled and put his arm over her and snuggled her closer as a show of affection, earning a couple coo's from the women in the crowd. 

"Kiss!" One of them shouted out. 

"Yeah!" Penny agreed cheerfully. "Give us a smooch!" 

He glanced at Charmer with an cocky  _'I told you so'_ smirk before pulling her into a salacious kiss. The town 'aww'ed at the young love before them; it was more than obvious that they bought their cover like a mouse to cheese. 

Before anyone could begin to question them further Jacob patted Deacon's back with a glee-filled chuckle. "You two simply must try some of Deezer's lemonade! It's a town favorite!" 

"What's in it?" 

"Why, lemons of course!"

Yeah, right. 

Deacon smiled and let go of her waist. "I'll go ahead and grab you some, Janie. You stay here and meet our new neighbors." 

Charmer knew what he was up to, the one benefit of this little party meant that all the houses would be vacated, allowing him to sneak in and dig for information. The only downside was that she was forced to mingle with these freaks. She watched as Jacob dragged her fake husband away with mindless chatter about the town's history. It was a damn good thing Deacon wore those sunglasses all the time because he was no doubt rolling his eyes with every word out of the mayor's mouth. 

 "Welcome to our little town." A man approached her with a smile. "I'm sure you and your...husband...will find us very accommodating." 

She pried her eyes from Deacon and looked at the older man with false friendliness. "Gee, thanks! I'm Jane." 

"Brian Fitzgerald." He shook her hand a little too enthusiastically. "So, how old are ya, little lady? Sixteen...seventeen?" He inquired. 

Charmer hesitated. Should she tell him her real age?...How old do people usually marry in the Commonwealth? Young, she assumed. 

"Yeah. Seventeen." She lied.  

Brain's face became weirdly eager. "Wonderful. You'll love our little town then, plenty of people to _get to know_."

The way he said that last part sent a shiver down her spine. "Thank you but I gotta say, I'm a little worried...that man over in the corner," she nudged her head in Honest Dan's direction "...he mentioned something about a missing caravan. Is it true?" 

"Oh, him." He rolled his eyes. "Don't mind him, sweetheart, he ain't local. Just a merc looking for trouble." 

"So, there's no missing caravan?" 

He scoffed dismissively. "Course not. Don't let that man scare ya." He leaned in closer. "...I'll keep ya safe." 

Charmer laughed awkwardly and scanned her eyes across the party for another topic of conversation. "Hey, it's Fitzgerald, right? Are you Penny's husband?" 

"Yeah." He wavered. "Don't you worry about her though...she's a deep sleeper. She don't even notice when I leave in the middle of the night for a smoke." 

Jane swallowed nervously and glanced away to see Deacon mixed back into the crowd. "Oh! There's my husband...I should go over and check in on him." She smiled. "Nice meeting you, Brian." 

"Sure thing, darling." He leaned in closer. "And if that husband of yours ain't satisfying you like a real man...you come find me." 

_ABORT!_

She scrambled out a goodbye and practically ran back towards Deacon.

"Any luck?" Her partner asked handing her a can of lemonade.

She chugged it quick, coughing at the bitter sourness. No way lemons were really in this...

"No." She exhaled. "Just a creep who wants to fuck me behind your back." 

"Hey, look at you! Twenty minutes here and you're already making friends." He smiled coyly. "So, you gonna take him up on his offer? I don't mind." 

"I'd rather sleep with a mole rat." 

"Ironically, me too." He looked around and leaned in, planting a kiss above her ear so he could whisper softly. "So, uh, you any good at pickpocketing?" 

"Not bad. Who's the target?" 

"Jacob. We need the key to his office." 

"On it. You run side-interference." 

Deacon grinned. "Maybe I can tell everyone the story of how we met." 

"Yeah? And how exactly does that go?" 

"Well, it begins with a bottle of Quantum, a deathclaw, and three bottles of glue..." 

 *

They got back into the room once the sun had set, key in hand.

Charmer sat at the vanity brushing her hair while Deacon laid out on the bed with a Live&Love magazine. It was just like a sleepover, pajamas and everything...but she couldn't help but feel slightly anxious knowing that there was only one bed in the room. Of all the times her and Deacon were on missions, they always slept in separate sleeping bags, it was an unspoken rule. Now, though? It seems all the rules were being broken. First with the kissing, now with this...she had to break the tension somehow. 

"Isn't it hard to read with sunglasses on?" She asked aloud. 

"I'm a professional, don't worry."

Did he ever take those dumb things off? Even when he showered? NO! Don't think about him in the shower! 

She stopped brushing her hair and looked back at him. In all the time she'd known him, he's always worn sunglasses...how could she call someone her best friend when she's never even seen what color their eyes were? It didn't seem fair...he got to see her eyes every damn day. 

"I wanna see." She announced. 

"See what?" 

"Your eyes." 

He simply chuckled. "That's a big hell no." 

"Why? What are you so afrai-?...Oh my God...do you have yellow eyes?" 

"Mayyybe." He smiled. 

"Come on! I won't tell Glory." 

"You can't lie to the master liar, Charmie. I _know_ you'll tell her." 

"Fine, but I won't give her details." 

"Nope." 

She groaned in annoyance. "At least take them off for your own safety! You're gonna go blind." 

"Another lie."  

"I'm serious...how many fingers am I holding up?" 

Deacon didn't even bother looking. "You're middle finger." 

Damn it...he knew her too well. 

"Alright, well, what color is this?" She held up a strawberry colored piece of clothing. 

"Ugh. Pink."

She gasped excitedly, forgetting the point of her lecture. "You hate pink too?"

His magazine dropped. "Only, like, a million times over. It's the worst color in existence."

"Yes!" She exclaimed. "I fucking love hating the same things as you. Why is it so damn therapeutic?" 

"Right?" He laughed and sat up. "Okay...fuschia?"

"Barf. Salmon?"

"Disgusting! What about bubblegum?" 

"It should be illegal." She said. "Magenta?"

He paused. "Magenta is purple."

"Are you high? It's pink."

"Purple."

"Pink."

"Ask anyone and they'll tell you it's purple." 

"No, it's pink! Everyone knows that!" 

"Nobody knows that."

"You're impossible."

She rolled her eyes and turned back around. As her eyes scanned outside she couldn't help but notice another pair of eyes watching her from the bushes.

Fuck. They were being watched.

Panic ran through her veins as she looked back at the mirror with a frantic heart rate. "D..." she whispered softly "...there's someone looking through the window." 

"I see them. Pretend you don't know their there." He calmly got up and walked behind her, looking at both of them in the faded mirror. "Just play along, okay?" He pulled the hair from her shoulder back and kissed at her neck, forcing a surprised gasp from her throat. 

"What are you doing?" 

"They want a show, Jane. We gotta sell our newlywed act, remember?" 

"I am not having sex with you." She hissed harshly. 

"Who said anything about sex? This is just foreplay."  

"Nobody has foreplay with sunglasses on." She chided. 

"Well, I do." 

He pulled her away from the mirror and pushed her back until she hit the bed. She laid back as her partner-in-crime crawled over her, kissing her while slipping the robe she wore off her shoulders. With the exposed skin he leaned down and planted love bites along her torso, avoiding the bra that stood in the way. Charmer swallowed and leaned her head back, sighing blissfully. Goosebumps rose in the area's where Deacon sucked, and thought of being covered in his marks somehow thrilled her...

She unexpectedly grabbed his chin and pulled him back up to her lips, kissing him with a fiery passion. If he was at all shocked by her boldness, he didn't show it...oddly enough, he welcomed it. His hands roamed up and down her hips, giving light squeezes every few strokes. Jane found her way to his neck, nipping at the exposed flesh while he let out a satisfied groan.

That sound nearly killed her. 

"Take off your shirt." She spoke aloud. It was only to make the act seem more realistic...that's the only reason...

He smirked just like always and pulled his shirt from his torso. Charmer's eyes grew bigger as she examined how soft yet toned he was; every mark and divot begged to be studied. She wrapped her arms around him and yanked him back into a breathy kiss. She loved how his skin was hot under her touch, it made her want to feel him even more. Their chests and stomachs pressed together, bringing out a carnal sensation in the pit of her stomach. She had never felt this way...not even with Nate...it was like Deacon was controlling her body with the touch of his. 

His hands slowly wandered up until they covered her bra, kneading and squeezing just enough to make her head go fuzzy. Her nipples had hardened under the fabric and she could hear the softest noise of approval come from Deacon's throat as he rubbed his palm against them. 

Charmer swallowed down the urge to beg him for more, the lines between the mission and reality suddenly blurred. 

"You like that?" He spoke softly. 

She couldn't even speak, she just nodded frantically like an idiot. 

His lips found her neck again while his fingers slipped beneath her bra hesitantly, testing how okay with all of this she was.

And, fuck, was she okay with it. 

His thumb grazed over her nipple, drawing a curse from her lips. Deacon smirked against her skin and did it again, this time moving from her neck to her jaw. 

"Giggle." He whispered quietly in her ear. 

"W-what?" She couldn't hide how breathy she sounded. 

"Giggle, you know, like a smitten school-girl." 

Oh, right...the mission. This was all just an elaborate act to him. 

"No." She whispered, partially embarrassed. 

Deacon let out something akin to an annoyed growl and placed his hand on the side of her rib cage and tickled her, forcing a girlish squeal from her. 

"Okay, now get up and draw the curtains like you want some privacy." 

She nodded and stood up, sauntering over to the window and closing the curtains with a sexy gleam in her eye to really sell their story. It wasn't because that gleam was already there...nope.

When she stepped backward the sounds of soft footsteps left the bushes, allowing her to let out a anxious breath.

"Thank God."

Deacon stood up and handed her the robe he tore off. "We're in the clear. Now we just gotta wait a few hours for everyone to fall asleep and we can get some info from the mayor's office." 

Charmer sat back at the mirror with her brush, trying to hide how red her cheeks had turned. "So...that was..." 

Deacon smirked, casually slipping back into his charismatic facade. "Don't tell me you're falling in love with me?" 

"As if." She snorted. "Besides, I think out of the two of us, _you're_ the own who's more excited." She gestured with her brush to the tent in his pajama bottoms. 

He gasped dramatically and pulled the covers over him. "Pervert!" 

"Me?" She laughed. "I'm not the one with a boner!" 

"It's not my fault what my body does on the job. I don't control this thing!" 

They both laughed for a brief moment before Deacon shyly bit at his lip; an action Charmer had never seen from him. He was usually so sure of himself.

"Um...sorry. About that. I, uh, usually...don't get that worked up." 

Charmer shrugged and got up, sitting next to him on the bed. "I guess I kinda got swept up in it too." The very thought of reaching out and kissing him like that again made her face flush white. 

"So, we're good?" He asked slightly nervous.

_No...we're not. How am I supposed to just go back to normal after that?_

"Of course. All part of the job, right?" She lied. 

"Right."

. . .

Ahhh...awkward silence. Charmer knew it well.

"You sure you're okay though?" She tried to break it. "You don't need to...?" 

"Me? Nah, I've got the stamina to deal with it. Blue balls aren't a big deal for this guy." He pointed to himself.

"That's a weird thing to brag about." 

He shifted to cover his bulge. "What about you? Are you still-?" 

Charmer looked away and blushed. Was she still incredibly turned on? Yes. "No...but maybe I could use some fresh air." 

"Yeah...maybe that's a good idea." He exhaled. "Hey, maybe you could scout out the mayor's office." 

"Good idea." She nodded and left the guest house quickly, sans shoes and took in the night air with a long breath. 

She wanted to berate herself. Kissing Deacon shouldn't feel so damn right but it did...it felt like the greatest thing in the world. Why? Why did this have to happen?...She was perfectly happy having a non-sexual, no strings attached relationship with a man, who quite frankly is just as fucked up as she is, but no...she had to go and catch feelings didn't she?

_Nice going, Ella. I bet Nate would be proud..._

A noise from behind her startled her out of her thoughts. She turned around to see Brian there, smoking with a plain stare. 

"You scared me." She laughed playfully. "What are you doing up so late?" 

He chuckled almost bitterly and tossed his cigarette onto the ground, smashing it into the dirt with his boot. "I scared ya, huh? My bad, sweetheart." He stalked closer to her. 

"I-it's okay. I just needed some air, I should probably head back now." 

"Yeah? You having fun in there? I bet..." He glanced down at her body. "That's one lucky bastard you married." 

Fuck. It was him in the bushes. She instantly regretted not putting on more than her robe as she backed away from the man towering over her. 

"What's the matter?" He smiled.

"Nothing. It's just chilly, don't you think?" 

He reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "You hiding something, sweetheart? You're so jumpy." 

"What are you talking about?" She chuckled. "I'm just tired, it's been a long day." 

He smirked. "It's about to get even longer." 

Charmer panicked and turned around to run only to collide into the chest of the mayor. She fell back on her ass and stared up at him, no longer seeing the polite gleam in his eyes. 

"Where ya off to in such a hurry?" Jacob smiled. 

She stood up shakily. "Nowhere...I was just about to get back to my husband." 

"Oh, don't you worry about him, we'll make sure he's good and taken care of...after all, it isn't easy to lose a spouse." 

"What?"

"You're gonna disappear, maybe you ran off with a traveling caravan...maybe you just left him. Point is...you won't be here when he wakes up." 

The two men crowded her, as she looked around for help she noticed even more people. Penny, Swanson, the other town folk...they were all there. 

"We don't allow your kind here, _synth._ " Brian sneered.

"W-what? I'm not a synth!" Charmer stammered. 

Jacob grabbed her roughly while Brian put a bag over her head. She let out a muffled scream, praying that Deacon might hear it but as she was tied up and carried further and further away from the front gates of the town she realized that this might have been the last time she would ever see him.

That thought alone killed her. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *FOR THOSE WHO FOLLOW THE WE ARE ALL DEMONS SERIES*
> 
> Part two of WAAD will not be posted until I finish this prequel so please yell at me in the comments to hurry up and finish so we can find out what happens to Charmer! :) I'm too lazy to do two stories at once so this has to be done first...also, you know...for context in the next story.


	3. Lesson Three: Basic Bullshitting

Deacon painstakingly paced around the room going through the details of the night in his brain. 

He kissed Charmer. With his mouth...on her mouth. And it wasn't a fun, totally-fake-meant-nothing kiss either...it was real. He had completely forgot that it was for show, all he could think about was how fucking soft her lips her and how warm her skin was pressed against his; the mission was the **last** thing on his mind. He could barely remember his damn name when she kissed him like that. 

And the way she grabbed him? Sweet Jesus. 

Had that been apart of their little act? Was it just as real for her? It had to have been...nobody could fake that look of arousal in their eyes without years of practice. Not even him. 

He mentally thanked God for his sunglasses saving him once again because if Charmer had seen the desire in his eyes he'd be a goner for sure.

Minutes passed. He looked at his watch and eagerly tapped his foot. What was taking her so long? It had been fifteen minutes since she stepped out for fresh air and Deacon couldn't help but wonder if she bolted. He wouldn't blame her if she did...why would a girl like her ever want a liar like him?...

More time passed, prompting more anxiety-inducing questions to spring to mind.

What if she ran back to HQ? What if she spilled what happened to Desdemona? They would never be allowed to work together again...there was no way in hell he would let that happen. She was the one good thing he had in his life.   

He sat back on the bed and reached for his shirt, the very one that Charmer told him to take off during their little liaison and laid back. His head was almost spinning. It'll be okay...she'll probably sneak back into the room once he's asleep and then they'll wake up and pretend like nothing ever happened. That had to work, right? He told himself yes and nodded off to sleep, letting himself drift off thinking of her lips. It'll all be over in the morning. 

*

When he woke up she was still gone. 

Not good. 

He walked out of the guest house to see Jacob standing there; waiting for him with a grim frown. 

Okay, **definitely** not good. 

"Mayor," he tried to sound as calm as possible "...have you seen my wife by any chance?" 

He looked sad. Fuck.

"I did. Perhaps we should have a talk, Charlie." 

They walked along a path just outside of the front gates, Jacob put an arm over his shoulder like some sort of father figure. Deacon's teeth ground together out of anxiety, why was this stranger being so cautious with him? Did Charmer really bolt in the middle of the night over what happened? 

"Late last night me and a couple other townsfolk saw your bride leaving the city with that merc who was harassing our little haven."

He stopped walking. "Honest Dan?" 

"Seems they were running away together. I'm so sorry, son. It's a shame, is what it is!" 

Deacon wasn't buying it...Charm wouldn't leave with some guy. Especially without telling him. 

He frowned and pretended to be shocked. "Are you sure it was her?" 

Jacob nodded sympathetically. "You can even ask around, I wasn't the only one who saw her." 

"I...I think I need a minute alone." 

"Of course." Jacob squeezed his shoulder. "Take all the time you need, friend." 

Deacon faked a weepy sigh walked behind the shop, trying to find any clue that would lead him to his partner: a cigarette butt, foot prints, ect. 

Nothing. It was like Charm was never even there. 

As he crept back around the corner of the next house something heavy tripped him. 

"Oof!" He feel forward and fixed his sunglasses as he stood. Thank God nobody saw that. 

He looked down and felt his stomach drop. 

It was Honest Dan. Dead. 

Panic swelled in his chest as he thought that maybe Charmer was dead too but there was no sign of her. That was good right? Hope? As he glanced around the corner he saw Jacob's office door slightly open, inside was that terminal he'd been keeping an eye on. 

Deacon sneaked over, determined to find out where his bride-er,  _partner_ -was. 

*

Charmer awoke with a throbbing pain in her back. 

"Ow! What the hell...?" She sat up and realized she was lying on a dingy mattress, half-soaked by a rain puddle. Beside her there was a food tray with some sort of meat on it, and around her were metal bars. 

The memory of last night flooded back and she stood up, shaking the bars in a pathetic attempt to open them. "Hello! Anyone there? I think there's been a mistake!" 

"It's no use." A crying voice spoke softly. 

Charmer craned her neck to the jail cell across from hers to see a thin, sickly girl huddled on a bed similar to hers. "Hey, shh, it's okay!...You're Amelia, right?" 

"Y-yeah. How'd you know?" 

"Your father sent me. I'm here to rescue you." 

She tensed up her brows. "It doesn't look like it's going that well." 

Charmer glanced back at the cage she was locked in. "Minor setback, don't worry...I won't let you die here." 

"No offense but I'll believe it when I see it." She turned back to her corner to cry, leaving Charmer blowing her bangs from her face with a frustrated huff.

Just then an older woman approached wearing goggles and holding a clipboard. "Subject two is awake." She spoke into a recorder. 

"Hey, are you in charge? I think there's been a mistake. I'm from Covenant, my husband and I just moved in-" 

"Enough lies, synth! It will do you no use." 

Charmer snorted. "I'm not a synth, lady. Is that was this is about? Who gives a fu-" 

"Blythe, do it." She turned back to someone. 

A large snap rang in her ears as the electric coil above zapped her. "Ow! What the hell was that?" 

"It didn't seem to hurt her." The doctor paused. "Turn it up to level ten, Blythe." 

"Blythe, don't do it!" Charmer shouted. "I'm warning you." 

A stronger surge of electricity seared her arm, making her cry out in pain. 

"FUCK!" 

As the old woman wrote on her papers and walked away with a smirk, Charmer curled onto the bed, trying to cough up the pain in her gut. 

_Deacon...hurry._

*

Deacon calmly walked into the entrance of the compound, his hand hovering a few inches from his gun. He wasn't sure what to expect, bigots obviously, but just how strong were they? He assumed a lot since they captured Amelia and Charmer without any suspicions. 

He turned the corner and came face to face with three men and two turrets. 

"Who the hell are you?" The main man questioned. 

Let's see here...dark hair, neatly trimmed. His shirt was tucked in and had no visible holes in it, and is skin was pretty damn clear too. Deacon grinned. If there was one thing he could do, it was talk his way out of a shit-uation. 

"Hey there, gorgeous. Didn't think I'd find a hunk like you in a place like this." 

The man was subtly blushing under his 5 o'-clock shadow. He turned to the other guards beside him and jerked his head. "Beat it. I'll handle this one myself." 

As the two guards filed out, Deacon took a few steps closer. 

"You got any business being here?" The man put his gun down. 

"Jacob sent me, wanted me to learn my way around the compound." 

"Is that so?"

"Yeah, but he didn't tell me there was a knock-out like you guarding the place, I mean seriously...how am I supposed to focus on anything else but that jawline of yours." 

He seemed to soften up. Deacon watched as his eyes dropped from his smile to his pants. "Jacob never said anything about someone comin' over." 

"Ugh. Can you believe that guy? Reckless is what he is. I mean we're trying to save the Commonwealth here, am I right?" 

The man smirked. "Yeah. He's reckless alright. You know anyone else who's reckless?" 

Deacon chuckled and paced forward some more. "A few. You?" 

He came down the stairs, standing a few inches taller than Deacon. 

"I'm Manny."

"Charlie." 

He pulled him into a rough kiss without so much of a 'how are you'...rude. Deacon rolled his eyes and slid his tongue against Mannys' while he subtly fished into his pocket for a syringe of med-x. Calmly, he wrapped his arms around the man's torso and shoved the needing into his shoulder blade, watching as his eyes fluttered closed before he fell to his knees. 

"Sorry, Manny." He wiped off his mouth. "Maybe don't come on so strong next time." 

He quickly descended further into the compound, listening for the sound of Charmer's voice yelling at everyone. 

"Hey! Who the fuck are you?" 

Ah, shit. That was NOT Charmer. 

"Me?" Deacon shouted back. "Who the fuck are _you_?"

The stranger turned red. "I am Doctor Tach Blythe and I run this show." 

"Yeah? Not anymore, kid." He crossed his arms. "Now, why don't you show me to your boss before things get ugly? Better yet, why don't I go back to Jacob and tell him that his little scientist isn't cooperating with a trained professional like me!"

"Professional?" 

"You need a dictionary, Blithe? It means I know more than you." 

"It's _Blythe_..." he scoffed "...figures Jacob would try and upstage me. I swear when Chambers hears about this-" 

"Why don't you let _me_ talk with Chambers? You go play with a rat in the corner." He sashayed off with a smug grin. 

He didn't bother responding, only muttered some insults and cleared the path. As he walked to the end of the room he saw an old scientist scribbling on a board. 

She looked familiar. It dawned on him that she was a Railroad enemy...for years she had been hiding, killing accused since without an ounce of proof. 

She saw him and scoffed. "Who are you? Get out before I call the guards!" 

Deacon pointed. "Hey, what's that?"

She looked, like an idiot, and Deacon shot her in the back. Huh...wasn't as heroic as he thought...he'd have to tell Dez that he single-handedly fended off all her attacks with his bare hands. That'll spice things up. 

"Deacon?" 

"Charm!" He ran to her cage. "Are you okay? 

"Don't worry about me, get Amelia out of here!" 

He glanced to the cage next to hers and softly cursed. How did he walk right past her?

...

Three bobby pins later he opened her cell, sliding the door open as she stood up. 

"Thank you! Thank you so much!" She hugged him. 

"Hey, I helped too!" Charmer shouted from her cage. 

The girl was already running for safety, leaving Deacon fumbling with the lock on Charmer's cell. 

"Gimme a sec, Jane. Now, you don't have to cry but I expect just as much praise as Amelia gave me." 

"How'd you get in here? I was so sure I was dead."

He broke a pin. "Easy. I just made out with the guard in front." 

Charmer's brows lifted. “You like men?”

“You mean sexually?" 

"No, Deacon, I mean for dinner.”

Another broke. "Why? You jealous, babe?" 

"Only a ton. Now I have twice as much competition." 

"Don't worry, babe, you're already in the lead since I got to second base." 

The lock clicked open and before he could even protest Charmer had tackled him in a hug. 

"Not a hugger. Stop. Please." He grunted. 

She laughed and rolled off him, spouting off about how much he probably loved it. Damn, he had missed her so much in only a few hours. 

"Well, job's done, Amelia is safe. Wanna head out, Jane? On the way we can discuss the perfect story to sell Desdemona. Except I think I want to leave out the part where you tried to molest me."

"Deal, but only if you carry me." 

He jumped up at the opportunity and patted his back. "Hop on, girly." 

*

As they weaved through buildings towards HQ's back entrance the two agents bickered more about shades of pink and purple and who would be on their side in a war of colors. Deacon got Glory but Charmer just knew Carrington would back her up. Tom, however, was the wild card they couldn't decide on. 

Charmer let out a heavy sigh as they approached the door. "Ugh, I can't wait to lay down and forget about that fucking town."

"Hey, that rhymed."

"It's a talent." She went to open the back door. 

Deacon stopped her. "Hold up a sec, Charm. There's something I wanna talk about." 

She raised a brow. "Sure, D, go ahead." 

"You know once we go in there our mission is over right? No more Jane and Charlie." 

"And?" 

"And..." he paused nervously "...I think I wanna hang on just a few minutes more before throwing that away." 

She let go of the handle and turned more to face him. "Sure." 

He nodded and took a short breath before taking off his glasses. "I, uh, I think after all the shit that happened in there, you earned this." He muttered. 

Charmer examined him while he looked away, her fingers found his chin and moved him to lock eyes with hers. Her pupils grew wide and dark, her smile faded into a stare of intense perusal. 

"Wow." 

"Wow what?...Wow bad?" 

"No." She shook her head "Wow incredible." 

A hint of a smile pulled at his face but he hid it with a complaint. "Well, you know, this really isn't my face. It's the face Carrington gave me about two years ago. In fact, I asked him if I could have brown eyes-" 

"Just shut up and kiss me." 

"I can do that." He nodded and pulled her to his mouth. 

Her arms wrapped tightly around his neck as he pressed her against the brick wall, melting in with her until they were body against body. Somehow this kiss was a million times better than the one in Covenant. Maybe it was because it wasn't for show, maybe because nobody was spying on them but Deacon had to admit...nothing had ever felt so good then kissing his partner. 

They pulled away agonizingly slowly as he awkwardly cleared his throat and bit back the cheesy grin that was begging to show itself. 

"Well...it was nice knowing ya, Janie." 

"You too, Charlie." 

They held hands briefly before letting go, opening up the back door and walking into HQ to greet everyone with fake, discerning smiles. It was fun while it lasted... 

 

**FIVE MONTHS LATER**

 

"Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, FUCK!"

Charmer grabbed Deacon's arm and jerked him back from the walls of HQ as a frag grenade exploded, sending chunks of brick towards them. They both fell backwards, covering their faces from the flying pieces of crimson. Deacon felt a piece strike the side of his head, throwing off his pompadour wig and leaving a bloodied scrap.

"Shit!" He yelled in pain.

Charmer scrambled to stand and pulled him up, running back into the main area as more Brotherhood soldiers stalked close behind. They collapsed at the marble table in the center of the room to catch their breath. Charmer rested her head against the slab of stone and let the cool temperature soothe her throbbing skull. She couldn't help but think how this all started...

The morning had begun so normally, they were all playing cards and betting on another one of Deacon's stupid games. Glory sat with Drummer Boy drinking some cola while Dez smoked in the corner. Just like always. There were over three-hundred caps in the hat for whoever could correctly guess Deacon's height and Charmer was positive she knew the answer. She was already thinking about what to spend her earnings on when the explosion in the church sent everyone into a frenzy. 

"Damn it! We're trapped." Deacon brought her back to reality. 

 

 _To be continued in 'We Are All Demons'_  ...


End file.
